Within the barrier, Tantai Jin and Jingmie walked forward. Above the Nine Revolutions Profound Return Array, the Marrow Cleansing Seal slowly rotated. The Soul of the Gluttonous Beast surrounding it, originally transparent, had now taken on a solid form.
Nine gates were positioned in nine directions, wide at the bottom and sharp at the top, converging into a "Spirit Gathering Dipper." The Marrow Cleansing Seal hovered above this invisible dipper, absorbing the spiritual energy between heaven and earth.
An endless stream of spiritual energy was transformed into demonic energy by the Profound Return Array, dispersing from below and returning to the world, aiding the cultivation of demonic beasts.
The surroundings were thick with demonic energy, accompanied by ghostly wails.
Jingmie had previously slaughtered several sects to activate the Profound Return Array. Many immortal souls were trapped here, tainted by demonic energy, becoming soul spirits guarding the array, wailing day and night.
Tantai Jin raised his hand, grasping a wisp of a remnant soul, and recognized him: "The soul of Sect Master Taixu."
"Indeed," Jingmie laughed. "This old man's cultivation was nothing special, but his soul hasn't been corrupted by demonic energy yet. Refining him into an Array Guardian Spirit would take quite some effort from me."
Observing Tantai Jin's expression, Jingmie saw him tighten his fingers, crushing Sect Master Taixu's remnant soul. "Stubborn fool."
After the remnant soul shattered, Tantai Jin flicked his sleeve, scattering the fragments to the nine corners, where they turned completely into demonic energy.
Jingmie watched, then burst into laughter.
She had harbored doubts before. The current Demon Lord should theoretically rival the ancient Demon God, but Tantai Jin's Evil Bone had dissipated five hundred years ago, and Jingmie always suspected his heart still leaned toward those cultivators.
Now, it seemed her worries were unfounded. A born Demon God who inherently despised life, his methods were crueler than hers, and his power was terrifying.
Hanba couldn't casually crush a person's soul like this.
"The Nine Revolutions Profound Return Array grows stronger by the day. Most of the mortal realm is already filled with demonic energy. Soon, there will be enough to unseal the Path of Shared Sorrow, dormant for millennia," Jingmie said, narrowing her eyes. "But a few days ago, spiritual energy seemed to leak from the array."
This shouldn't be happening. Just as they were about to open the Path of Shared Sorrow, the Profound Return Array was malfunctioning.
Tantai Jin sneered inwardly and summoned the Heaven Severing Sword. The sword flew toward the Gate of Injury within the array, retrieving a Silver Fish Bell.
Seeing the bell, Jingmie's eyes turned icy. "So it's the work of that old fool from the Carefree Sect."
Tantai Jin tossed the Silver Fish Bell to her and stepped out of the array. The barrier closed behind them.
Jingmie hurriedly caught up. "I heard Lord Jingmie presented several demonesses to the Demon Lord last night?"
Tantai Jin glanced at the swarming Blood Ravens. "Your sources are quite sharp."
"Don't mistake me for jealous," Jingmie said, her hand resting on his shoulder, her painted nails trailing downward. "But mere lowly demonesses are unworthy of the Demon Lord. What can they offer you, even if you grant them cultivation?"
Jingmie leaned closer, whispering seductively, "I was born in ancient times, as eternal as heaven and earth. When the Path of Shared Sorrow opens, all six realms will belong to demons. I am the one who can accompany you for millennia. Besides..."
She paused, her eyes gleaming. "Wouldn't the Demon Lord like to know how the cold, desireless gods of antiquity practiced dual cultivation... Ah!"
Before she could finish, the hand she had placed on Tantai Jin's arm suddenly burned with pain.
Jingmie clutched her hand, biting her lip. "Demon Lord."
"Jingmie," Tantai Jin leaned close to her ear, mocking. "Need I remind you that beneath this beautiful skin of yours lies nothing but a... decayed and withered corpse."
Jingmie's expression darkened, her gaze icy. For millennia, though everyone knew this truth, no one had dared say it to her face.
"Hanba," to put it bluntly, was an ancient Jiangshi—a corpse without blood, possessing immense power but a horrifying visage.
When Jingmie followed the ancient Demon God, she had admired his formidable strength. But the ancient Demon God had no interest in women, only ambition.
Now, the young Demon Lord was willing to walk the Way of Union through dual cultivation, and Jingmie naturally coveted the power of this celestial evil.
Born to rule the darkness—how alluring.
Yet this man's heart was colder than the ancient Demon God's. The words from his lips were like knives, laced with disdainful humiliation.
Jingmie clenched her fists, her anger and resentment known only to herself.
Had anyone else dared speak like this, she would have torn them apart. But the black-robed youth before her was her sovereign. After a moment of icy fury, she forced a smile. "Jingmie understands."
Tantai Jin curved his lips. "You're clever, far more than that fool Jingmie. You should know what to desire and what not to."
With that, he didn't wait for her reaction, vanishing into the dense forest.
Returning to the Demon Palace, as expected, the little demoness on his bed was gone.
Tantai Jin strode into a hidden passage within the hall.
Gongye Jiewu was imprisoned inside.
As Tantai Jin walked, blue phosphorescent fires flickered to life. He leisurely seated himself before Gongye Jiewu.
"Well, have you seen her?" Tantai Jin asked, smiling, though his eyes were cold.
Gongye Jiewu looked up. The black-robed youth, with his ink-black hair and crimson lips, appeared exquisitely beautiful under the blue firelight, his expression silently radiating self-loathing.
"Cang Jiufeng, what do you truly want?"
"Cang Jiufeng?" Tantai Jin rested his chin on his hand. "I nearly forgot—you lack memories of your past life. Gongye Jiewu, or should I say Xiao Lin, how about a wager?"
Gongye Jiewu watched him calmly, as if observing a speck of dust.
Tantai Jin smirked maliciously. "Someone like you, born superior, revered by all. But guess what? If you lost your spiritual power, became an ordinary mortal, fallen into the dust—would they still respect you?"
Gongye Jiewu glared coldly, unsure of the source of Tantai Jin's hostility.
"Tch, careful." Tantai Jin's eyes curved in amusement. "Mortals can sometimes be more terrifying than demons like me."
As he spoke, he raised his hand and sealed Gongye Jiewu's Spiritual Platform.
The chains binding Gongye Jiewu fell away. With his Spiritual Platform sealed, he was no different from a mortal. Pale-faced, he remained silent.
Tantai Jin looked at him with pity, then burst into low laughter.
In the next moment, Gongye Jiewu, who had seemed powerless, sent a golden needle flying from his sleeve, piercing Tantai Jin's heart.
Tantai Jin stared at the needle, his smile fading.
It carried Su Su's aura.
Likely left with Gongye Jiewu for protection, yet he had chosen to use it to kill.
He plucked the needle out, examining it expressionlessly.
Gongye Jiewu closed his eyes, unable to resist asking, "What have you done to my junior sister?"
Tantai Jin also bore Su Su's aura.
Among familiar cultivators, such traces were recognizable. Gongye Jiewu was certain this was deliberate.
Tantai Jin smiled. "What do you think?"
The false tranquility shattered. For the first time, Tantai Jin saw towering rage in Gongye Jiewu's perpetually calm eyes.
Yet Tantai Jin felt no joy. The dark corner of his heart seethed with envy toward this man.
No matter how much time passed, the jealousy remained.
Li Susu came to him always with ulterior motives—once to extract his Evil Bone, now to destroy the Nine Revolutions Profound Return Array.
No matter how he deceived himself, some truths, once laid bare, were like Soul Extinguishing Nails driven into his heart.
And Li Susu would never treat Xiao Lin or Gongye Jiewu this way.
Five hundred years ago, how she had loved Xiao Lin. Five hundred years later, she risked her life to enter the Demon Realm for Gongye Jiewu.
But it didn't matter. Xiao Lin was already a cripple. As long as the ring remained in his possession, as long as he held what Li Susu sought—even if her heart wasn't his, her person would be.
Gongye Jiewu frowned. How could his junior sister be with such a demon?
"I won't kill you. Whether you live or die is up to you." Tantai Jin's voice was icy. "Get out of here, as far as you can."
At least while he lived, Gongye Jiewu would not appear before him to provoke him.
With a flick of his sleeve, Gongye Jiewu vanished.
He knew he couldn't kill Xiao Lin. He had learned five hundred years ago—the living could never compete with the dead.
But what if this time... Xiao Lin was the one who lived, and he was the one who died?
Tantai Jin stared blankly into the void before finally leaving the passage.
During the day, Su Su visited the Water Prison to check on her puppet. It was terribly weak, clearly unable to last much longer.
She had to obtain the ring and destroy the Nine Revolutions Profound Return Array within seven days.
Jingmie, overjoyed to hear the Demon Lord had kept the little demoness he'd sent the previous night, today tasked Su Su with delivering wine.
This Drunken God Brew was a rare treasure even emperors might never taste.
It suited Su Su's plans perfectly.
She had laced the wine with a drug given by Qu Xuanzi. A single drop would render Tantai Jin unconscious.
Now that she knew the array's location, all she needed was the ring to open the barrier.
Carrying the wine jug, she entered Tantai Jin's palace.
The black-robed Demon Lord reclined on a stone throne, a water mirror floating before him.
As Su Su entered, he turned slightly. "Come here."
Approaching, she saw the mirror reflected Qu Xuanzi, Elder Qingwu, Elder Qingqian, and others.
They were all confined in a dark place.
Su Su started, then realized something was amiss.
Jingmie couldn't possibly have subdued so many Immortal Sect members, and Tantai Jin hadn't left the Demon Realm. There was no way the cultivators could have been captured so easily.
Puzzled, she glanced at Tantai Jin, who met her gaze with a smile. "Well?"
"Demon Lord, who are they?" she feigned ignorance, curious.
Tantai Jin lowered his eyes, twirling a lock of her hair as he guided her to sit beside him. "The sect masters and elders of Hengyang Sect and Chixiao Sect."
As she dutifully gazed at him with admiration, he chuckled. "Of course, they're fakes."
"Fakes?"
"Demonic beasts transformed by the Illusion Face Pearl." He idly played with her cascading hair, enjoying its texture. "Tell me, if the 'sect master' of Chixiao Sect went to Hengyang Sect to kill, how many could defend themselves, hmm?"
Su Su's eyes chilled. "How clever of the Demon Lord."
Tantai Jin waved his hand, and the water mirror vanished.
This was Jingmie's scheme. The Profound Return Array lacked sufficient souls and spiritual energy. Eager to open the Path of Shared Sorrow, she naturally targeted the Immortal Sects.
Tantai Jin had casually revealed this to the little spy beside him.
"What's your cultivation level today?" he asked indifferently.
Su Su looked up, about to say "Condensing Origin," but hesitated. Gritting her teeth, she smiled sweetly. "Thanks to the Demon Lord, this humble one has reached the 'Intentuous Desire' stage."
How very grateful I am.
His eyes suddenly sparkled with genuine amusement. "Mm."
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